"What happened?"
"Nothing much, just a routine investigation." Neiki brushed past Neji and walked straight into the kitchen.
"Is it because someone else went missing? Is Sister Tsukune also…" Neji trailed off.
He was smart. Just from Takizawa's earlier questions, he had already pieced together a lot.
Every so often, members of the Hyuga branch family would mysteriously disappear or turn up dead. It didn't happen constantly, but the number of cases increased every six months. Many branch family members had already sensed something was wrong. They sought help from the clan head but received no response. They appealed to the Hokage, and Sarutobi Hiruzen sent people to investigate, but no clues were found.
The number of missing people continued to rise—and now it had reached those close to Neji.
"Do you like her a lot?" Neiki, lighting the stove, glanced at Neji.
"She's always been kind to us, and she really likes you, brother…" Neji observed his brother's expression.
Why does he seem not sad at all?
Is this the psychological fortitude of a ninja…?
"Neji, listen carefully," Neiki said indifferently as he prepared the dinner ingredients, his tone shifting into that of a lecture. "It's not that a ninja must be cold and heartless. But compared to ordinary people, the greatest difference in a ninja's mentality lies in the word '忍'—to endure."
"To achieve a goal, you must endure. To carry out a plan, you must endure."
"To avoid showing weakness to the enemy," Neiki chopped potatoes and turned to emphasise, "you must endure the pain."
Neji looked around. It was just him and his brother in the room—no so-called "enemies." So what was the point of enduring pain here?
"Brother, you've been lecturing a lot lately." Neji didn't argue. He rested his chin on his hands, feeling oddly comforted despite his sadness.
"I know you're not really listening now, but I'm not saying this for the current you." Neiki spoke casually as he tossed the potatoes into the pot, but his eyes flicked to a specific spot outside the window.
A crow perched on a power pole, tilting its head as it watched him.
Persistent…
No concealment could escape the Byakugan, and the crow knew this. After a while, it flapped its wings and flew away.
"Why are you wearing such oversized clothes?" Neiki asked, noticing Neji's uneasy expression.
Seeing Neji hesitate, Neiki smiled slightly.
"Got into a fight?"
Neji paused, then quickly nodded. His brother was too perceptive; any lies would be easily exposed. It was better to let him believe the injuries were from a typical "fight."
Neiki was Neji's only family, his pride, the honour of the Hyuga branch family, and one of Konoha's Twin Prodigies.
Neji had no intention of telling Neiki about today's events. Neiki might be strong, but he was still part of the branch family, still bound by the Cursed Seal of the Caged Bird. If Neji ever saw Neiki kneeling before Hyuga Ryo because of that seal—humiliated because of him—Neji felt he would be consumed by guilt.
"Losing a fight isn't a big deal. Just win next time." Neiki's nonchalant attitude eased Neji's tension slightly.
"I… I will definitely get revenge!" Neji clenched his fists and said determinedly.
He still had no idea how to counter the Cursed Seal, but… maybe, for now, he should endure.
"Good. Go train. I'll call you when dinner's ready." Neiki waved him off. As Neji left, Neiki's gaze grew distant and deep.
Neji's lie was full of holes. The Gentle Fist: Lion Fangs technique Neiki had taught him was enough for Neji to defeat anyone in the Academy. How could he lose in a fight with his peers?
Moreover, the lingering signs of the Cursed Seal were too obvious. Those occasionally reddened, twitching eyes could never escape Neiki's notice.
As a genius who had risen from the Hyuga branch family, Neiki had also experienced the humiliation of having his Cursed Seal abused by upset main family members. Those who once tormented him were now corpses underground—their eyes serving as nutrients for Neiki's evolving Byakugan.
"I've fully adapted to the third stage of the Byakugan. It's time to prepare for the final stage."
Neiki looked toward where the bird had been, his expression calm.
The evolution of his Byakugan now required more than just one or two pairs of eyes…
His recent actions had already drawn the attention of Konoha's higher-ups and various "individuals." In a village full of sharp minds, suspicions were beginning to converge on him because of his earlier impatience. But Neiki didn't care.
If his eyes didn't require time to adapt to each new stage of evolution—forcing him into painful periods of weakness—no one would have ever noticed a flaw.
Takizawa's visit today was the result of Tsukune's body being discovered and someone following the trail of clues.
Fortunately, the only major oversight during this period was Tsukune's corpse being exposed and Takizawa's surprise inspection of his home.
—That much wasn't too troublesome.
With destiny approaching its final moment, Neiki's heart grew ever more serene. Watching the steam rise from the pot, his thoughts drifted back to that night four years ago.
When his father, Hizashi, committed seppuku at home, Neiki had been the first to enter. However, his father's Byakugan— which should have been destroyed by the Cursed Seal of the Caged Bird—turned into a pure essence and flew into Neiki's eyes.
That was the first time Neiki's Byakugan evolved. He was blind for two days, and the clan assumed it was from crying too hard over his father's death. Even the clan head, Hiashi, came to comfort him.
But only Neiki knew he wasn't that filial. He knew his father's death was inevitable—because he knew the plot of this world after transmigrating. At the time, he had been sad about losing his protector, but not enough to shed a single tear.
When his father's Byakugan essence entered his eyes and he realised his unique ability to absorb and evolve the Byakugan, Neiki hadn't been able to control his laughter—even during Hizashi's funeral.
Father.
If not for your death…
How long would it have taken for me to discover that I was born to kill you all?
His father's death had rattled the once-locked door of his caged life and allowed a beam of light to slip through, revealing another path he could walk.
The door, however, remained closed.
The key would be forged with the blood of all his kin.
…
From that moment, the strongest spear meant to protect the Hyuga main family had already turned and pointed toward the Hyuga clan.